January 2010 the Warbler Alandevoebirdclub.Org Reminders & Notices ADBC Field Trips Columbia Land Conservancy Outings Jan
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Volume 52, Number 1, January, 2010 THE 26TH ANNUAL WATERFOWL COUNT The 26th Annual Waterfowl Count will be held on Sunday, January 17, 2010. We will be meeting at 9:00 am at Stuyvesant Landing. The coordinators for this event are Owen and Carol Whitby. EXPECTED WATERFOWL ADBC BOARD MEETING MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL REMINDER The next ADBC Board Meeting will be held on ADBC Membership Renewals are due by January 1, Tuesday, February 11, 2010 2010. There will be a short grace period after which your membership and the Warbler will be discontinued. at 7:00 pm at the home of Marcia Anderson. We value our members and do not want to lose you! All members Our birds need your help too. Contributions to the bird feeding program at our Sanctuary in Old Chatham are welcome. are greatly appreciated. CONSERVATION - WHY ARE BATS DYING? by Michael J. Birmingham, Forester/Entomologist A recent article in the Times Union paper on bats WNS apparently came to the US on clothes and points to declining populations due to white-nose gear of cavers. Now established in US, WNS primarily syndrome (WNS), (Geomyces destructans). Fewer bats spreads by bat contacts with one another. WNS is locally were seen in the summer rapidly spreading and may soon of 2009. Bat population declines reach mid-western states. To stem may be due to causes in addition spread by humans, conservationists to WNS. Studies are underway to ask cavers to avoid caves and mines answer this and other questions on in regions with WNS.[3] bat mortalities. Dead and dying Our rarest bats are the Indiana bats are found in record numbers and Eastern small-footed myotis in nine eastern states. The first bats. Half of the Indiana bat evidence of the fungus was found population in NY hibernates in less than 3-years ago at Howe’s one mine. WNS has been detected Cave near Albany, NY. Evidence in the mine on Indiana bats. of WNS is white markings on the Indiana and Eastern small-footed nose, wings and tails of bats, bats myotis bat’s vulnerability to WNS flying during daytime and dead and will determine their fates locally. dying bats near and in caves and WNS kills by starvation and mines.[1] Bats at risk are described cave hibernating bats infected as displaying abnormal behavior. with WNS are more susceptible Both cave and tree bats are LITTLE BROWN BAT to starvation than tree bats. WNS native to our region. Local PHOTO: MARVIN MORIARTY/USFWS is likely to achieve maximum cave bats wintering in caves and mines are: Northern impacts on bats locally sooner than other regions since long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), little brown the disease first appeared in the region and has had bat (sometimes called little brown myotis) (Myotis more time to spread and build in intensity. Local bat lucifugus), Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), Eastern populations will decline further as WNS spreads to small-footed myotis (Myotis leibii), Eastern pipistrelle more caves and mines.[4] Bat reproduction is slow and (Perimyotis subflavus) and big brown bat (Eptesicus recovery of bat populations will be slow. Rare local fuscus). Cave bats live off body fat in winter.[2] species such as the Indiana and Eastern small-footed Tree bats migrate south. Local species are: hoary bat myotis bats may disappear in some areas. Local bats are (Lasiurus cinereus), silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris marvelous insectivores and navigators using “state of the noctivagans)and Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis).[i] art” echolocation and unequaled flight agility. Equally Tree bats, depending on species, feed during winter or remarkable given these competitive advantages is these hibernate in hollow trees. wonderful creatures are disappearing. [ii] Researchers attempt to understand how environmental factors, pathogens and toxicants make [1] http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jan2008/2008- bats vulnerable to WNS. Bats infected with WNS have 01-31-094.asp low body fat leading to starvation during hibernation. [2] http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html Bat colony mortality rates range from a small percentage [3] Names follow http://en.wikipedia.org/ to as high as 95%. Why are there differences in mortality [4] For more on WNS see http://www.fws.gov/ rates among bat colonies and species? Why are some northeast/wnsabout.html caves and mines free of WNS within the general range [i] Names follow http://en.wikipedia.org/ of the disease? Answers to these questions may lead [ii] For more on WNS see http://www.fws.gov/ to understanding WNS and other agent roles in bat northeast/wnsabout.html mortality. January 2010 The Warbler alandevoebirdclub.org 2 REMINDERS & NOTICES ADBC FIELD TRIPS COLUMBIA LAND CONSERVANCY OUTINGS Jan. 17, Sun. - WATERFOWL COUNT For Information about CLC events, programs & outings: (26th Annual) Visit www.clctrust.org or call 518-392-5252 Meet at 9:00 am at Stuyvesant Landing. Coordinators: Owen and Carol Whitby MOH ON A S W UDSON OHAWK IRD LUB RIPS K H M B C T D U H B & PROGRAMS IR B Feb. 6, Sat. - SHRIKE SEARCH (morning) D CLU For more information, 518-439-8080 Meet at 8:00 am at Lindenwald parking lot on Route 9H. For more information, see www.hmbc.net. We will look for Northern Shrike on Eichybush Road in Kinderhook. Then we may check the river for waterfowl. MONDAY - Feb. 1, 2010 - 7:00 pm at William K. Coordinator: Drew Hopkins Sanford (Colonie) Library - “The Galapagos Islands” with Richard Naylor Colonie Library Director, Richard Naylor, will describe Note to FielD TriP LeaDers: Following the field trip for his trip to the Galapagos Islands in January of 2006, which you are the leader, send a brief summary/write-up of the trip for using photos and video he and his wife took during the the Warbler to the editor - Nancy Kern trip. Trips to Galapagos differ according to the time of year and the general weather conditions, however, each time provides its special interest. ALAN DEVOE BIRD CLUB MEMBERSHIP FORM Membership Annual Renewal Date: January 1st WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! Send check to: Sandra Williams, 1730 Co. Rte 9, Chatham, NY 12037, payable to the Alan Devoe Bird Club, Inc. Tricia Julian NAME: STREET ADDRESS: Clarissa Manjarrez CITY, STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE: E-Mail: Mary Ellen Frieberg & Dr. W. Michael King Paper Warbler or E-Warbler (please circle your preference) MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES: Adult $15 [ ] Junior (18 or younger) $10 [ ] Supporting Adult $30 [ ] Individual Life $500 [ ] RENEWING MEMBERS FOR 2010 Family/Household $25 [ ] Supporting Family/Household $45 [ ] Jean Beaven Bertha Petith ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS: General Fund: Steven Sulzer Sanctuary Fund: Allan & Phyllis Wirth Educational Opportunities Fund: TOTAL ENCLOSED: January 2010 The Warbler alandevoebirdclub.org 3 ADBC CHATHAM CHRISTMAS COUNT HELD 12-19-09 by Nancy Kern Bill Cook as the coordinator of this event will give us the final results and particulars, but here are a few highlights. Weather- wise it was a decent day and Debbie Shaw and I got our expected finds of the common birds of inland winter countryside. Our best bird of the day was a beautiful adult Northern Shrike perched on the top of a twenty foot high tree in an advantageous hunting position. The surrounding area was old farm fields and brushy areas good for small rodents and birds. We ended with a really nice last bird of the day, a handsome Barred Owl posed next to Crow Hill Road just outside of Spencertown. Debbie and I have good teamwork after something like 30 years of birding together. In this, my home territory, I drive and predict what birds should be where. I predicted the owl and Debbie first saw its dark eyes and spotted it against a pine tree. Nice job Debbie! I got the photo. Marion and Bill Ulmer again hosted our after the count potluck dinner at their warm and beautiful home in Chatham. Food was bountiful with no duplications. The surprise was no one brought a dessert! Must be we are all watching our waistlines, and it was still a sumptuous feast. It was a more high tech tally than usual with a nice digiscoped BARRED OWL photo of a Veery, the find of the day, presented on an Apple iphone. I really, really want that new iphone with the bird apps. Stories were told and new members welcomed as we said hello to old friends. Our thanks to everyone who participated, and in particular to Bill Cook as coordinator, Carol and Owen Whitby for paying our count fees to Audubon, and to Marion and Bill Ulmer for being such gracious hosts. CHOOSING BINOCULARS BY HABITAT NEW YORK STATE ORNITHOLOGICAL The Alan Devoe Bird Club does not endorse ASSOCIATION products or take advertising, but this site has some notes This year NYSOA is offering gift memberships on choosing binoculars and other devices that may be of in NYSOA as well as NYSYBC (New York State interest. Young Birders Club). These gift memberships may be purchased online via credit card. Go to: http://www.eagleoptics.com/articles/birding/birding- destination-and-optics-selection-1 http://www.nybirds.org/membership/gift2010.html January 2010 The Warbler alandevoebirdclub.org 4 MAINE JOURNAL 2009 by Marion Ulmer (Editor’s Note: Think nice warm weather!) head for Sunset, the Davis Cottage, which is celebrating A brief introduction: For many years we have its 100th birthday with friends and relatives galore. My vacationed on Long Island, Maine, one of several rocky, grandparents and great aunt and uncle had it built in spruce-covered islands near Portland in Casco Bay. The 1909. It has been in the family ever since, belonging at year-round population numbers under 200, but summer present to a variety of my cousins-once-removed.